Sunday, January 9, 2011

WEEK I

As I sit here trying to write my first post (and finishing off some leftover perogies from our Ukrainian Christmas dinner...yum!), I can't help but wonder if technology really does make things faster. Apart from these few opening sentences, my only accomplishment since starting up this blog three days ago has been to narrow down what background image I like and what colour my fonts should be. Not to mention how long it's taking me to carefully construct every sentence so that I look somewhat intelligible to all of cyberspace.

There is no argument that technology can be an asset to any classroom. But what is considered technology? Is an overhead projector still technology? Is a DVD technology... or only if it's Blu-ray? A good friend of mine, and a music teacher of more than 20 years, has a rather real-world view of technology. For her, technology in the classroom is anything that supplements her teaching. She describes everything from her Smart Board to the xylophones as technology aiding her in the classroom. Perhaps an interesting idea to consider...

The video we watched on the first day of class (Norman McLaren - Opening Speech) starred an unassuming announcer and a mischievous microphone. It reminded me of how often we anthropomorphize technology. Sometimes it feels like it is out to get us. Sometimes it can feel like our best friend. The musician in me constantly has to remind me that computers have no thought, no feeling, no expression. They cannot feel and they should not make us feel. They are tools to help us in our lives, but they could never replace human interaction or artistic creativity.

4 comments:

Computers have feelings! haha but seriously, computers certainly can make us feel lousy, but can also act as a tool to present us with material that should make us feel. There is also the question of artificial intelligences, which are sophisticated programmed decision machines that can create for themselves. I can see the possibility of computers really interacting with us in the next 50 years. Scary.

I completely agree with your comments about whether technology always makes things faster. I also find that I take much longer to write ideas when I know they will be posted for many to see. Even when I'm just using the computer for homework and e-mail, I seem to end up sitting there for hours, but not accomplishing nearly as much as I would without the computer on.

You are absolutely right about xylophones as an example of technology. I like that you were able to put that in to perspective. You mentioned whether or not technology faster, and I know what you mean. When I write papers I still write out my main ideas on paper first. On a computer, my hands type faster than I can think sometimes!